UNC Charlotte Habitat chapter to launch campus build

UNC Charlotte Habitat chapter to launch campus build

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

By:

Phillip Brown

UNC Charlotte’s inaugural football season brings to mind the prospect of a traditional fall homecoming game. To coincide with such an event, the UNC Charlotte Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter is launching an effort to build a home for a deserving family on the University campus.

“Homecoming week and the kickoff of our inaugural football season present a very special opportunity for our first on-campus Habitat build. We decided that homecoming was a fitting time to provide a deserving family the opportunity purchase a decent, affordable home of their own,” said Maggie Chahoud, special events coordinator for the UNC Charlotte Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter.

Construction will take place on the UNC Charlotte campus at the corner of University City Boulevard and John Kirk Drive; the home will be moved to a permanent location after it is 50 percent complete.

According to Chahoud, plans are to focus construction efforts between Tuesday, Oct. 1, and Friday, Oct. 11. During this period, the UNC Charlotte Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter will coordinate student and alumni volunteers in the build.

Before construction can begin, the chapter needs to raise approximately $85,000 ($70,000 for the build and $15,000 to move it to its final location).

To assist the students in their fundraising efforts, UNC Charlotte alumnus Joe Price (’83) and his wife Chris (’82) have issued a challenge grant; the initiative, dubbed Mining for 49, pledges to match the first $24,500 raised by University students. So far, Will and Elsie Barnhardt; Neil and Claire Cotty; David (’77) and Nancy (’77) Hauser; Bob (’85) and Jackie Hull; Dhiaa (’78) and Hope Jamil; Gene (’73) and Vickie (’71) Johnson; Bob (’88) and Katie Qutub; and Van (’83) and Linda Turner, have joined the Prices in support of the challenge grant.

Price, former president of consumer lending at Bank of America, is a member of the Habitat for Humanity International Board of Directors and the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees.

The UNC Charlotte Alumni Association also is supporting this student initiative through a donor drive and call for volunteers to help during the on-campus build.

“There are many ways for students, faculty, staff and alumni to be involved in this community project,” Chahoud noted. “Help will be needed during the on-campus phase not only for construction but to watch over the project during the night; and assistance will be needed in the off-campus phase to complete the build when the house is moved to its permanent site. And, of course, financial support is critical to make this project a reality. We’ll be soliciting in-kind and monetary donations from individuals and businesses.”

Formed in 2009, the UNC Charlotte Habitat for Humanity chapter is a recognized student-led, student–initiated organization working in partnership with the Charlotte Habitat for Humanity affiliate. The four key functions of a campus chapter are to build, fundraise, advocate and educate. The UNC Charlotte Habitat for Humanity student chapter works “to educate the campus and local community about affordable housing issues and the work of Habitat for Humanity, as well as build and rehabilitate homes in partnership with God, Habitat affiliates and homeowners.”

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